Jamaica
Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean. It is the third largest island in the Caribbean, after Cuba and Hispaniola. The Governor of Jamaica is Addison, who resides in Port Royal. The island is also home to a community of Maroons. People While formerly a haven for pirates, the island is now home to legitimate merchants, sailors, planters and slaves. Enough of these slaves have escaped and formed a community of Maroons led by the Jamaican Maroon Chief. Geography Port Royal , one of the largest cities on the island, is located on the southern coast of the island at the end of the Palisadoes, a thin tombolo of sand. Sheltered by the Palisadoes is Kingston and its harbor. On the northern side of the island is the settlement St. Ann's Bay. History Background The island was originally inhabited by indigenous Arawak and Taíno peoples. The island came under Spanish rule when Christopher Columbus landed on the island on May 5, 1494. The Spanish Crown granted the island to Columbus’ family, but for decades it remained a backwater, valued chiefly as a supply base for food and animal hides. Spanish governance over the island officially began 1509. in 1654, Oliver Cromwell launched an invasion of Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. An attack on Spain’s fort in Santo Domingo in Hispaniola was repulsed. In May of 1655, the English invaded Jamaica and over the next five years. The turning point came when Spanish runaway slaves, who became the Jamaican Maroons, switched sides from the Spanish to the English. England gained formal possession of the island from Spain in 1670 through the Treaty of Madrid. The city of Port Royal was notoriously a haven for privateers and pirates, and a place for them to sell their plunder. However, in 1687, Jamaica passed anti-piracy laws. In the mid 17th century, sugarcane had been brought into the British West Indies by the Dutch. The locals began growing sugarcane instead of cotton and tobacco, leading to a massive boom in the economy. Sugar replaced piracy as Jamaica’s main source of income. Due to the labor-intensive nature of the sugar industry, hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans were brought to Jamaica. Season One Vazquez, an agent of the Casa de Contratación, stumbles into a tavern in Port Royal and tells Captain Parrish about the ''Urca de Lima. ''The conversation is overheard by a spy in Flint's employ. John Silver and Max plan to flee to Port Royal after receiving payment for the ''Urca ''schedule. James Bridge ponders aloud the idea of selling his cargo in Port Royal instead of to the Guthries, who take half his profits. After killing Hamund and his men, Anne Bonny and Eleanor Guthrie spread the rumor that they set sail for Port Royal. Season Two Flint tells Dufresne to avoid the common passage out of Kingston because the men will want to take the first prize they see, but they are too depleted. They happen upon a sugar merchant ship, whose crew rebels after they surrendered. Flint orders that his crew sink the ship. Ned Low tells Eleanor Guthrie that he has made camp at both Port Royal and Kingston. After being temporarily excluded from the crew of the ''Colonial Dawn, ''Anne Bonny leaves to recruit spies for Max in Port Royal. Season Three Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny plan to flee to Port Royal with their share of the ''Urca ''treasure after Woodes Rogers arrives in Nassau. Season Four Woodes Rogers sails for Port Royal to lure Edward Teach away from Nassau's harbor. After capturing Teach's ship and learning of Nassau's fall, Rogers orders Lieutenant Kendrick to deliver the pirate prisoners in the ''Lion ''to Governor Addison in Port Royal for trial and execution. When Rogers goes to Havana to enlist Spanish aid in quelling the pirate resistance, Raja asks why Rogers is not in Kingston, asking for help from one of his own colonies. The Jamaican Maroon Chief leads his forces to the Maroon Camp after learning of Nassau's fall. When Flint and his men arrive, they hold a meeting to discuss their next move. The Chief and the New England Pirate Captain discuss a possible first strike on St. Ann's Bay. Places of Interest *Port Royal, the capital city *Kingston *St. Ann's Bay Category:Locations Category:British Empire